ULTIMATE GRADUATION GIFT. RIGHT NOW A LOCAL COAST GUARD CREWMEMBER CONFIRMED DEAD. GOOD EVENING, I'M SYAN RHODES, 37-YEAR-OLD JOHNNY WALTON KILLED HIMSELF AFTER MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHING FROM THE BASE AT PONCE INLET YESTERDAY. STEPHANIE KOLP IS LIVE THERE TONIGHT, YOU CONFIRMED HE WAS SUBJECT OF A CHILD ABUSE INVESTIGATION. THAT'S RIGHT, SYAN AND THE COAST GUARD STATION HERE AT PONCE INLET HAS 28 MEMBERS. IT IS A SMALL STATION AND THE COMMANDER TOLD US TONIGHT THAT THIS NEWS IS WEIGHING HEAVILY ON WALTON OWES SHIPMATES. HE WAS A LOVE MEMBER OF OUR STATION HERE AND EVERYBODY CARED DEEPLY FOR HIP. PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS JOHNNY WALTON WAS OUT JOGGING AT THIS PARK NEAR THE IMOAS GUARD STATION WHEN HE VANISHED AT 8:45 PENS. EVENTSUALLY HE SLOWED DOWN AND THE OTHER PERSON WAS GOING FASTER THAN HIM. WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THE UNITS TO THE GATE ETHEY ASSUMED HE HAD FALLEN, BUT HE NEVER SHOWED UP. HIS BODY WAS FOUND WITH A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND ON THE BRUSH ON THE BASE. COAST GUARD COMMANDER SAYS JUST LAST WEEK WALTON INFORMED THE COAST GUARD HE WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR CHILD ABUSE. AT THAT TIME WALTON'S JOB DUTIES WERE RESTRICTED, HIS ACCESS TO AMMUNITION AND WEAPONS DENIED. AUTHORITIES SAY HE USED HIS OWN GUN TO KILL HIMSELF. WALTON WAS ARRESTED IN 2011 FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUT HE WAS EVER PROSECUTED. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ALSO BELIEVE HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL. BUT THE COAST GUARD SAYS THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS WALTON WOULD TAKE HIS OWN LIFE. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL RECEIVE ANNUAL TRAINING TO RECOGNIZE SYMPTOMS OF A SUICIDAL TENDENCY, BUT I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY SPECIFIC INDICATORS IN THIS CASE. AND THE COMMANDER TELLS US THAT THIS SUICIDE WILL BE INVESTIGATED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING COAST GUARD COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT.